Back again, two days in a row, what on earth is happening? Well, nothing is happening which is leading to me sitting in front of my computer spewing forth my thoughts. It’s early, it’s quiet, it’s refreshing, and it tends to produce an environment where I write.
Now I am well aware of the fact that I am not some great writer. John Grisham I am not. However, I also know that writing, like many other things in life, takes practice. It takes finding your voice and your tone and just working at it. I hope I am a better writer now than I was a few years ago, although that may be up for debate, but I feel like I have at least found my style. I tend to write in a sarcastic, light hearted tone. As you read this and other posts I hope that comes across. I’m pretty sarcastic in my day to day life. I have on many occasions been compared to Chandler on Friends or Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs. I’m a bit of an ass that enjoys quick wit and humor and appreciates good banter.
So as I continue to write I encourage you to not take anything I write personally. Don’t be offended at my Dumb and Dumber poop .gif, or my sometimes blatant disregard for decorum. I share what I see and my views tend to be skewed toward the comical side of life. I laugh at others and I certainly laugh at myself. I don’t generally mean to be self-deprecating but sometimes we have to laugh at ourselves and our idiocy. (as I type this I look up the “Merry and Bright” sign I put up in my office back in November in preparation for Christmas and wonder if I’ve reached the point where it’s better to just leave it up until this Christmas or should I change it only to change it back again in a few months. At what point is it too far? Is it laziness or just busyness that has lead to this conundrum? Do I care? Does anyone?)
So I’m back in the mode of writing. If you’ve followed me at all you know that this season may last a week or a month or honestly a few hours. I will probably go back into hiding here at some point and go weeks if not months between posts, but for now I am in a zone and I plan on taking advantage of it. I don’t have some white board* agenda I put together with a list of topics to discuss (maybe I’ll do that) but I am here to write and work on writing to get better. ( I don’t feel like I have to be an excellent writer with incredible grammar to write, especially online, but I do want to not suck at it, and be boring or meaningless.) I want to write to share my life. Does anyone care? Maybe not. I’m ok with that. I’m not writing here to make millions of “fans” or to become some influencer or anything like that. I write because I feel like it. I write because I sometimes need to vent and rant and since I’m no longer a pastor with a pulpit, this is how I can do that. I’m not overly qualified to dissect this world of ours but my point of view has it’s merits and so away I go.
I will not get into politics or religion on here. I have my views and I’m certain those will bleed into my writing without being the actual topics. You don’t have to agree, you do’t have to like it, but I’m not about to get into arguments about it. This is a place to talk about my health journey and as we progress my hiking/backpacking experiences. I will add in life tidbits and general updates, like the post yesterday, and I will try my best to keep things light and fluffy. Any questions?
I do ask that if you like my writing you say so. Leave a comment, like my posts on Facebook or Instagram or Twitter, share it on your social media. I’m not looking to have some huge audience, but I also don’t want to just be speaking to a void. The more people that read my stuff the better, so share away, and comment away, and follow me on the socials. If you have any thoughts you want to share about something I write, send me a message. I am going to be working on increasing my Instagram presence and actually post more. ( I keep saying that but life gets busy and I’m not great at remembering to snap a pic or video to post, I’m working on it!!) I’ve also thought a lot about some kind of podcast, mostly because I love podcasts, but I have no idea what about or why anyone would want to listen to me ramble on about who knows what. The interest is there though for sure plus I already have a sweet Blue Yeti microphone that I got a few years ago when I was going to do a “church” podcast. That fell through and now it just sits on my desk as a lovely ornament that makes my desk look cooler than it really is… I dust it regularly as to keep up the facade. So if you know anyone who podcasts and is looking for a co-host or an additional voice, or a new podcast or whatever (looking at you Popcast Media Group) let me know! I’m cheap and easy to work with! I am after all an Enneagram 9.
That last part feel’s a bit like a dating site profile, “white male seeks podcast friends” but I’ve found in life that you have to put what you want into words and get it out there or nothing will ever come of it. I have an interest, why not throw it at the wall and see if it sticks?
On a completely different and totally unrelated topic, we are getting new carpet in our office and living room this friday and I can not wait. It really is amazing how much damage four kids, a dog and a grown man you doesn’t like to take his shoes off (ME) can do to carpet in just over 4 years. We vacuum on the regular and even deep clean it like once a quarter, but still its time has come to be gone and for the new shinny carpet to begin it’s slow demise. See you in 4ish years Home Depot Carpet department.
The down fall of getting new carpet is emptying the rooms for the installers. As soon as my wife and son leave Thursday for their backpacking trip (read Michigan Summers, Fireworks, and Fireflies if you don’t know why they’re leaving) the office, office closet and living room will all be emptied and the dinning room and kitchen eating area will be filled. The dog will start shaking and shedding due to this activity, thinking the world is ending, and the children that remain will undoubtedly try to build forts out of the stacked items. Something will fall and break, dad will get frustrated…great times for all will ensue. Friday evening and Saturday will be putting everything back, but in a slightly different place because change is good and I like moving things around to keep us on our toes. If something isn’t broken you must fix it. Is that really the best place for the couch? What if we inverted everything and hung from the ceiling like bats? Surely that would be better then the same old setup we’ve had since…May?? Hours will be spent trying this and that but in the end everything will probably end up right where it started just shifted a few inches left or right. This is adulthood. So that is the rest fo my week. Preparing for new carpet, getting new carpet, putting the house back together… honestly I’d rather be backpacking.
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Jeff & The Big Wide World 